Well another Easter has come (and almost gone) and yet again NZ is caught in in the debate over our retail trading laws. Something needs to be done to address the inconsistancies that exist with our laws so that it's a level playing field for everybody.

I personally don't have an issue with stores being closed on Easter Friday and Sunday however when we have exemptions for "tourist" towns that have no logic behind them you realise things are an absolute shambles. Why should Queenstown be exempt and not Wanaka? Why should Parnell shops be allowed to open but not Newmarket?

To add to the dramas most people don't actually realise that Easter Sunday is *not* a Public Holiday, it's merely a day that most retailers are not allowed to open their doors. As a result of this staff who do normally work on Sundays either have the choice of receiving no pay at all or taking a day's annual leave if they do wish to be paid, an issue that the National Distribution Union obviously forgot to mention when they critisised Bunnings for opening yesterday. Bunnings also paid staff members who did work time and a half as well as giving them an extra day in lieu, again something they didn't need to do.

With several private members bills before Parliament at present lets hope somebody can at least do something to sort out the mess. The most obvious decision would be to keep Easter Friday as a Public Holiday (with no exemptions as there are now) and let all retailers open on Sunday. Failing this Easter Sunday should be legislated as a Public Holiday and all retailers forced with close with no exemptions.

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